The Whirl of Life
Cast & Crew
Oliver D. Bailey
Vernon Castle
Irene Castle
Arthur Stanford
Kate Blanke
William Carleton Sr.
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Irene Foote agrees to marry Crosby, a member of the New York Stock Exchange and the pick of her affluent New Rochelle parents, but while sea diving, meets Vernon Castle, a dancer, and promptly falls in love. After moving to Paris, the young couple, now married and fighting starvation, splurge one evening and visit the Café de Paris. At the request of a rich American, the Castles perform a dance and become an overnight sensation, eventually returning to New York to open their own club, Castles-by-the-Sea. Crosby, now a theatrical producer, plans to open a musical on the same night, but knowing the Castles are the bigger attraction, connives to stop them by hiring thugs to kidnap Irene. With great daring and the help of his dog, Vernon catches up to Irene and rescues her from Crosby's clutches. After a series of mishaps, the dancing duo arrives at their club in time for the show, and Crosby loses all.
Director
Oliver D. Bailey
Cast
Vernon Castle
Irene Castle
Arthur Stanford
Kate Blanke
William Carleton Sr.
Edward Cort
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
A copy of this film survives at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Notes
As a six reel production, this film contradicts some modern sources that state that the Castles never made a feature-length film together. According to Irene Castle's autobiography, Castles in the Air, Vernon Castle wrote the story for the film in three hours at the urging of their manager, Gladwyn Macdougall, and John and Edward Cort, who were theatrical producers interested in making a film with the popular, bankable Castles. Irene Castle also states that the film, which was shot in large part at the Castle's estate on Long Island, NY and at their club Castles-by-the-Sea in New York City, used many of her friends and family servants as extras. Modern sources state that Gladwyn Macdougall, Walter Ash, who was one of the Castles' servants, and James Europe, a jazz bandleader who frequently played with the Castles and was one of the first black musicians to make sound recordings, were featured in the film, playing themselves. Ruth Gordon also appears as an extra, according to modern sources. According to Irene Castle in her autobiography, John Cort, who was Edward Cort's younger brother, appeared in the film with Edward as a gangster. An animal lover, Irene Castle also states that her monkey Zowie played a role in the production. Parts of the finale were shot at the U.S. Naval Training Station on Lake Michigan near Chicago, and members of the New York Four Hundred were used as fox hunt riders in another scene. Dance numbers performed by the Castles included the fox trot, hesitation, one step, pigeon walk and maxixe. Much of the story was autobiographical and was also included in the 1939 RKO film The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, which starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
